Utah's Community-Based Conservation Program:
Todd Black, Wildland Resources Specialist;
Terry Messmer, Wildland Resources Specialist;
Nicki Frey, Wildlife Specialist;
Lorien Belton, Wildland Resources;
Lyle Holmgren, Box Elder County Extension;
Jeff Banks, Juab County Extension;
Clark Israelsen, Cache County Extension;
Matt Palmer, Sanpete County Extension;
Chad Reid, Iron County Extension;
Boyd Kitchen, Uintah County Extension;
RaeAnn Hart, Wildland Resources;
Kevin Heaton, Garfield/Kane County Extension;
Sterling Banks, Summitt County Extension;
Dennis Worwood, Emery County Extension;
Ron Patterson, Carbon County Extension;
Mark Nelson, Beaver County Extension;
Troy Cooper, Duchesne County Extension;
Verl Bagley, Piute County Extension;
Jim Keyes, San Juan County Extension;
Alicia Moulton, Wasatch County Extension;
Emily Cloe; and,
Darrell Eddington
Utah’s Community-Based Conservation Program (CBCP) evolved to address issues regarding endangered species and socio-economics. Because of a history and strong tradition of local involvement in the community, non-regulatory status and having a good relationship with local ranchers and farmers, Utah State University Extension (USUEXT) entered into a long term agreement and contract with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) to develop a process to involve local communities in sensitive species conservation. Presently, USUEXT has hired CBCP specialists who are working cooperatively with the UDWR and other partners to facilitate/coordinate sage-grouse working groups in Utah. These groups are developing local sensitive species conservation plans. These plans also will identify strategies to improve overall rangeland habitat and watershed conditions, increase sage-grouse populations, and sustain local economies. Each plan contains information on the current status of area sage-grouse populations and rangelands, local community issues and concerns, and agreements or actions required to implement management strategies. Working groups are responsible for completing, implementing and monitoring the plans and agreements. USUEXT is further involved in intensive research and monitoring of local sage-grouse populations in working group areas. UDWR and USUEXT believe this cooperative effort is necessary if local communities are going to be pro-active in resolving sensitive species and wildlife/natural resource issues. USUEXT is working with local working groups (LWGs) to institutionalize CBCP process that will not only address current sage-grouse conservation issues but continue well into the future to resolve other natural resource conflicts. CBCP specialists also work to identify, recruit, and train local leadership to guide this process.
The local sage-grouse working groups are the backbone of the CBCP effort. These groups work to mitigate the effects of habitat and management decisions on sage-grouse and other shrub-steppe obligate species. Presently 10 LWGS are operational. To date over 1000 people have participated in tot process. LWGs meet regularly to discuss and identify conservation and socio-economic issues and needs, establish goals and objectives, and set management priorities. They work collaboratively to develop local management plans to address identified needs. These plans identify strategies and management actions that will be implemented by the LWGs to achieve identified goals and objectives. A primary objective of each LWG is learning by doing (adaptive management). LWGs management projects are implemented using good experimental designs and monitored to document the effects of the actions. LWGs consist of private landowners, local elected officials, federal land permittees and lessees, oil and gas industry, state and federal wildlife and land management agency personnel, and representatives from non-governmental organizations. LWGs are chaired by local community leaders. In 2004 the Parker Mountain LWG was awarded a $350,000 National Resource Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Improvement Practice (WHIP) grant to implement projects designed to benefit Greater Sage-grouse. This is the single largest WHIP grant ever awarded. The LWG was awarded this grant because of its demonstrated ability to implement and evaluate the effects of WHIP practices on sage-grouse and other sensitive species. Secondarily and possibly more importantly, LWGs are cultivating community-based collaborative process to not only address sage-grouse conservation but better manage other natural resource conflicts. Thus, LWGs are institutionalizing a dynamic community-based process that will continue to meet, discuss, and collectively work to resolve species conservation issues well into the future. More information about the LWGs can be found on the web site www.cbcp.org.
